The Frasier star, married to Portishead-born Kayte Walsh, played a round at the nine hole course and was filmed playing and chatting to former PGA tour pro John Morgan.

The film shows local golf legend Mr Morgan giving a few lessons on his technique to The Simpsons actor, as well as chatting about everything from golf movies to the spectacular views of the sea to be had from the course.

Mr Stiff said: “The fact that the footpath has been recognised as an official right of way makes three holes on the course unusable.

Kelsey Grammer at Portishead Golf Course following the promo video

“We wanted to make the course bigger and better but have been restricted in what we can do due to the footpath which runs parallel to the course.

“It was always our intention to make Portishead Golf Course better, we planned substantial improvements to reach that goal and therefore sustainable for a long future.

“We would now need to adjust the course to make it even smaller in order to appease the insurance company and we would also lose the flat land that we have in order to reach the guidelines of safety.

“Our conclusion is that the land can now longer have a future as a viable golf course and our dream to produce the stunning nine hole course can no longer be.

The actor, known for playing Sideshow Bob, played a round with former PGA tour pro John Morgan

“I would particularly like to thank all the helpers and greenkeepers and am sorry for the outcome.”

Mr Stiff added that due to the footpath being so close to the course he was struggling to get insurance.

“We have to create a safe buffer between the public footpath and the course on health and safety grounds,” he said.

“As a result we cannot get insurance at a reasonable price.”

The paths were recognised as dedicated rights of way following a lengthy campaign by local residents Ann Townsend and Janet Davey.

John Morgan and Kelsey Grammer on Portishead's nine-hole golf course

The pair swung into action three years ago after hearing that people were being stopped from walking across the course – an activity they had enjoyed for years – on health and safety grounds.

Mr Stiff, who took over the concession for the golf course from North Somerset Council in 2014, said people were at risk of being hit by golf balls if they continued to stroll across the site.

People have used the footpaths – one which runs parallel to the official path at the bottom of the course and one which links in to it from Nore Road – for several decades.

But as it crossed the fairways, Mr Stiff was keen to see it stopped and locked the gate, preventing access.

The move caused outcry in the town amongst local people, many of which enjoyed exercising their dogs across the course.

The campaigning pair then set about collecting evidence to prove the footpaths had been used for at least 20 years by the local community.

John Morgan offered Kelsey a few tips

An application was then made to North Somerset Council to have the paths made into official rights of way.

But much to their surprise the pair were warned that the process could take up to 20 years.

But rather than let public access be hampered for decades, they took their fight to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs.

DEFRA chiefs said 20 years to make a decision was too long and instructed North Somerset Council to make a decision by February last year.

The authority’s footpath officer was then tasked with gathering evidence to prove the routes had been used by the local community for at least 20 years.